We went over the Feast of Weeks in detail. We know it is about the firstfruits of harvest. Keep that in mind. Pentecost fulfills the firstfruits of a harvest. God’s plan for the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost was always about a harvest – not just of grain, but of souls.
Introduction: The Overview of Acts Chapter 2
Acts Chapter 2 is one of the most powerful and pivotal chapters in the Bible.
Acts 2 is used by so many false churches and religions to teach you must repent of all your sin and get baptized in water to get to heaven. One verse, Acts 2:38, is focused on without any regard for the rest of the chapter.
Acts Chapter 2 marks the birth of the New Testament church, not the church, but the New Testament church. Moses had a church in the wilderness as Acts Chapter 7 tells us. A church is a gathering together of believers at any time throughout eternity.
This chapter marks the birth of the New Testament church and the fulfillment of God’s promise to pour out His Spirit. I want to go over a quick summary of what happens in this chapter.
1. The Outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-13)
Pentecost arrives. Jews from all nations gather in Jerusalem for the Feast of Weeks. A mighty wind and tongues of fire. The Holy Spirit descends, and the disciples speak in tongues or different languages.
There is amazement and confusion. People hear the disciples speaking in their own languages about the works of God. Some marvel. Some mock. Some believe. Others scoff saying, “These men are full of new wine.”
Jesus promised in Acts 1:8 that the disciples would receive power and now that power has come.
2. Peter’s Bold Sermon (Acts 2:14-36)
Peter stands up and preaches. This is the same Peter that not too many days ago, approximately 53 days, denied Jesus Christ three times. He is now preaching with power and boldness as he is filled with the Holy Spirit.
Peter quotes Joel 2:28-32 explaining what’s happening there. This is the outpouring of God’s Spirit.
He then preaches that Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus was crucified, buried, and risen from the dead. This fulfills prophecy. Peter then tells them that they crucified Jesus. They crucified the Messiah. He directly confronts the crowd but also offers them hope.
Peter was once fearful but now he is empowered by the Holy Spirit and proclaims the Gospel with boldness.
3. The Harvest of Souls (Acts 2:37-41)
Remember, I’m going over a quick overview of Acts Chapter 2. We are at verse 37. The crowd is convicted. They are pricked in their hearts and ask, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” They could have gotten angry and responded differently. But they didn’t.
They want to know what they shall do. Peter tells them what to do. Repent or change your mind about Jesus Christ. He is the Savior of the world. Believe that. Then get baptized because you’ve received the remission of sins. And receive the Holy Ghost.
About three thousand souls received his word and were baptized. That’s 3,000 people! That day, 3,000 souls gladly received the word of God and were baptized.
This was the first great harvest of souls after the resurrection of Jesus Christ fulfilling the meaning of the Feast of Weeks.
4. The Birth of the Church (Acts 2:42-47)
After this great harvest of souls fulfilling the Feast of Weeks, we see that the new believers, disciples of Jesus Christ, continue stedfastly or firmly with constancy and steadiness of mind. They devoted themselves to doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayers.
Signs and wonders were done by the apostles. They performed miracles. Fear came upon all. A spirit of generosity was seen. They sold their possessions and shared with those in need.
And the Lord added to the church daily as more and more people were saved. Think what we can do if we do the same things. We continue spreading the Gospel. So, we see the New Testament church being born and the harvest continuing.
That’s a quick overview of Acts Chapter 2. Now I want to tie the Feast of Weeks together more closely with what happens in Acts Chapter 2. I want you to see how these things relate.
The Feast of Weeks and the Harvest of Souls
I want to go back to the Old Testament, Leviticus Chapter 23, and read about the Feast of Weeks.
The Feast of Weeks Commandment (Leviticus 23:15-22)
Leviticus 23:15-16
And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: 16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.
50 days. Pentecost is equal to fifty. We see Pentecost is fully come. This is approximately 50 days from the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That’s what we’re seeing in Acts Chapter 2.
Leviticus 23:17-18
Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD. 18 And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the LORD.
We see the loaves of bread from the firstfruits of wheat harvest. Seven lambs. One bullock. Two rams. A burnt offering. Meat offering. Drink offerings. Offerings by FIRE. A sweet savour unto the Lord.
Leviticus 23:19-20
Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings. 20 And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits for a wave offering before the LORD, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the LORD for the priest.
One goat. Sin offering. Two lambs. Peace offerings. The priest waves the bread of the firstfruits with the two lambs.
Leviticus 23:21-22
And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations. 22 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.
No servile work. A statute forever. Leave some for the poor and the stranger.
The Feast of Weeks Was Meant To:
- Offer the firstfruits of the harvest to God.
- Celebrate God’s provision for his people.
- Unite all of Israel in worship in Jerusalem.
We see this happening and being fulfilled in Acts Chapter 2 at Pentecost. This is the first Pentecost after Jesus Christ arose from the dead.
Pentecost was never just about wheat – it was a prophetic picture of God’s plan to bring in the harvest of salvation. Jesus Christ died, was buried, and arose from the dead. Salvation is come!
Remember, Pentecost is about the firstfruits of the wheat harvest. It marked the beginning of wheat harvest.
How Pentecost Fulfilled the Feast of Weeks
- Instead of a harvest of grain, Pentecost brought a harvest of souls.
- Instead of offering firstfruits of wheat, God brought in the firstfruits of his church: 3,000 souls!
- Instead of unity through law, Pentecost brought unity through the Holy Spirit.
The New Covenant is Better than the Old
Under God’s rule, things always continue to get better and better.
Hebrews 8:6
But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
The Old Covenant, given at Mount Sinai, was based on the law. But the New Covenant, included the harvest of souls at Pentecost, and it is based on grace, the Holy Spirit, and the power of Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 3:5-6
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
2 Corinthians 3:7-8
But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: 8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
2 Corinthians 3:9-11
For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. 11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
The New Testament is better. Now, the Feast of Weeks, as completed in the Old Testament, is fulfilled with the Holy Ghost at Pentecost in Acts Chapter 2. Make sure you understand what I’m saying here.
The law was written on stone tablets, but now the Spirit writes the law on our hearts. The Old Covenant was glorious, but the New Covenant is far more glorious because it brings life and righteousness.
Instead of offering bread, rams, lambs, goats, and bulls, we take the Gospel out into this community and we preach it with everything we’ve got. That’s our offering. And the Holy Spirit guides us and takes us where he wants us to be.
Pentecost Fulfilled the Feast of Weeks With a Greater Unity
“And when the day of Pentecost was FULLY COME (the fulfillment), they were all with one accord in one place.” Under the law, Jews gathered in Jerusalem in physical unity for the Feast of Weeks. At Pentecost, the Hol Spirit brought spiritual unity. He gathers Jews and Gentiles into one body – the church.
Ephesians 2:14-16
For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
The law separated Jews and Gentiles, but through Christ, that division is no longer there. The Bible says these things. The Holy Spirit unites all believers into one body, making us one new man in Jesus Christ.
Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
All believers are one in Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:13
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
We are baptized by the Holy Spirit into one body. By one Spirit. The law demanded offerings and sacrifices, feast days, sabbath days, and more for the unity of the people. But now the Holy Spirit of God baptizes us into one body – uniting us internally in Christ.
The Law Brought Death, but the Spirit Brings Life
Exodus 32:28
And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.
When Moses gave the law at Mount Sinai, 3,000 people died in judgment because of their rebellion with the golden calf.
Acts 2:41
Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
When the Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost, 3,000 people were saved forever. The law brought death, but the Spirit brings life.
Romans 8:2
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
The law bound people under sin, but the Spirit sets us free! The Old Covenant was perfect and good but it was about rules and condemnation because we don’t follow all the rules. But the New Covenant is about grace and transformation. We receive a new man who is perfect. And we get to choose to walk in the Spirit or in the flesh.
The Pattern of the Harvest Continues
Jesus is the Passover Lamb. He fulfilled the Passover. That continues everyday for anyone who wants to be saved. Jesus is the unleavened bread. That continues forever. Jesus is the firstfruits. That continues forever. The harvest that occurred at Pentecost is continuing. We are a part of that harvest. We are the laborers for the harvest as it continues.
The early church shows us how the harvest was sustained, and how it continues:
- They continued in doctrine – the feeding on the word of God.
- They continued in fellowship – strengthening one another.
- They continued in prayer – seeking God’s guidance and power.
- They continued in generosity – sharing all things in common.
As they did this, the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. We must follow this same pattern for God to add to this church daily. Continue in doctrine. We must get better at this. Continue in fellowship. We must get better at this. Continue in prayer. We must get better at this. Continue in generosity. We must get better at this.
Those are the things that bring us together as one. We must get better at this. And God will add to the church daily. Make sure you understand this. Doctrine, fellowship, prayer, generosity.
Conclusion: Are You Part of God’s Harvest?
The Feast of Weeks was fulfilled at Pentecost, and the harvest of souls began – but it is not over!
Here’s my call to action for you no matter where you’re at in your life:
- If you are not saved or not sure, hear the Gospel and believe in Christ as your Savior. Be a part of the harvest!
- If you are saved, it’s time to share the Gospel! The fields are still ripe for harvest. It’s till continuing. People are still getting saved.
- If you are saved and in this church, stay steadfast in doctrine, in fellowship, in prayer, and in generosity. And the harvest gets greater and greater.
Matthew 9:37-38
Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
The harvest started at Pentecost, but it continues today. Will you be a laborer for the Lord?
I hope these Bible studies about the Feast of Weeks and Pentecost are helping you to see their significance. I’ve never heard anyone teach about the Feast of Weeks and Pentecost in detail and what they mean.
This sermon ties together Acts 2, the Feast of Weeks, and the ongoing mission of the church today. Pentecost was not just a historical event (it happened), but the fulfillment of God’s plan to bring a greater and lasting unity through the Holy Spirit.
Let’s pray.
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